The Belgian Node Story

Explaining the history of establishing and developing the Belgian GBIF Node to the Global Nodes Training meeting in Leiden, the Netherlands.

Transcript

1. André Heughebaert Belgian Biodiversity Platform Global Nodes Training The Belgian Node Story
2. 2001-2006 Signed MoU in Dec 2001 Started as a standalone project in Dec 2002 Close to 2 other projects: BCCM (Belgian collection of micro organisms) EMBNet (Belgian Node of the Global Bioinformatics Network) 3FTEs @ ULB-VUB
3. 2001-2006 Early network of publishers GB10 April 2005 hosted in Brussels Belgium Data mobilization via ENBI project (funded by the European Commission) By end 2006 (Digir & Biocase): 16 datasets 180.000 occurrences
4. 2006-2010 BeBIF as standalone project 4FTEs @ ULB-VUB Towards an integrated Belgian Biodiversity Information Service: • The DATA module • The SCIENCE module • The SCIENCE POLICY module • Two support modules IT & MANAGEMENT 2010: Merge with 2 other Belspo funded projects: BioDiv(CRIS) and early Platform(SPI) Data mobilization through small grants Digit calls 120k€ By end 2010: 32 datasets 4 Mio records (Tapir, early IPT By end 2010 (Tapir, early IPT): 32 datasets 4 Mio occurrences
5. 2011-2014 BBPf recurrent federal funding 700k€/year with 10 FTEs 1st Strategic Plan, includes CBD SBSTTA, EPBRS + Community of Practice (CoP) Platform is distributed amongst 3 hosted institutions The Belgian GBIF Node remains at ULB-VUB Consolidation of BeBIF network: key research institutes and universities Two spin-off Biodiversity data projects on Antarctica and Fresh Water Data mobilization through our last Digit call 100k€ By end 2014 (IPT): 90 datasets 12 Mio occurrences
6. 2014-2017 Same recurrent funding 700k€/year with 10 FTEs 2nd Strategic Plan with new tasks: IUCN + BiodivERsA(ERA net) Belgian Node moved to Belspo(federal funding agency) Completion of BeBIF network with others actors: NGOs, practitioners, citizen science... By end 2017 (IPT): 110 datasets 21 Mio occurrences
7. 2017-2021 Same recurrent funding 700k€/year with 10 FTEs 3rd Strategic Plan with new tasks: IPBES, Eklipse TrIAS project aims to build an open data-driven framework to support policy on invasive species. Bridge Science, SciencePolicy, CoP & Data By end 2019 (IPT): 205 datasets 39 Mio occurrences Groom Q, Desmet P, Reyserhove L, Adriaens T, Oldoni D, Vanderhoeven S, Baskauf SJ, Chapman A, McGeoch M, Walls R, Wieczorek J, Wilson JR.U, Zermoglio PFF, Simpson A (2019) Improving Darwin Core for research and management of alien species. Biodiversity Information Science and Standards 3: e38084. https://doi.org/10.3897/biss.3.38084
8. CAPACITY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAMME 2006: Arthur Chapman on Data Quality 2009: Mentoring with Mauritania 2013: Mentoring with Mauritania and Togo 2015: Living Atlases technical documentation 2017: Biodiversity Reporting Mechanisms 2019: CMHs-GBIF nodes synergy Various BID & BIFA mentorings
9. LESSONS LEARNED Establishing the complete BIF network took time No hurry Confidence based, backed by a cooperation agreement, not legally base Build on trust Decentralised, being distributed in a federated state Opportunity Digit calls gave the opportunity to setup this network Connectivity Funding & Team stability are crucial Sustainability Technology and standards evolve Flexibility As time passed, our missions grow, not our budget Constraints Bring together publishers and users (TrIAS) Glue Open Data services remain our central activity Focus Think globally and act locally Support
10. André Heughebaert Belgian Biodiversity Platform Thank you for your attention